Fallen angel
by macloud
Summary: CHAPTER 5 NOW UP! Stripped of your powers, condemed for murder , no backup, and your expected to stop the apocolype? For loki, its just another day on the job...
1. Chapter 1

Fallen angel

An OMG fan fiction by Macloud

Marla, Hild and OMG c 2003 Kosuke Fujishima, no challenge to copy write intended in the production of this fan fiction

Part 1

**Note**: the story takes place after the events of the "Queen Sayoko" story arc

The woman had been running through the deserted night of the city for what felt like an eternity, the rain reducing the streets ahead into a blur of grays and blacks. She didn't care that her clothes were torn, or that without a coat the rain drenched her from head to foot, or that only willpower and adrenalin were keeping her from collapsing to the pavement.

She only knew that she had to run - nothing else mattered.

Suddenly her foot slipped and she fell hard, cursing as she felt intense pain shoot through her ankle when she tried to get back up. She looked around, seeking any sign of her pursuer, the glow of the neon lights illuminating the city streets with a sterile white glow. At first there was nothing, just the sound of the rain and occasionally the sound of a car far off in the distance.

Then she heard it - the sound of someone - or something - advancing towards the street she was on, heading towards her, their pace slow, almost leisurely.

She willed herself, despite the pain from her ankle, to get up and keep going somewhere, anywhere - but where? Scanning the street she saw it - an alley way - its interior covered by shadows - if she could just make it there, she could hide and maybe, just maybe, survive.

The sound was almost at the corner, she had to hurry, and so she limped along the street, using the sides of the buildings as support until, just as a shadowy figure turned the corner, she made it to the side street and, collapsed behind a dumpster, her body finally unable to move, she waited, her body shaking from exhaustion and the rain sticking her hair to her face in a wet mass.

From her position she could hear the sound of footsteps come closer...closer...closer...and then stop in front of the street. She couldn't see the figure and she didn't care, she simply sat there, crying quietly to herself and praying to herself ohgoddontletmedieohgoddodntletmedieohgoddontletmedie...

The figure stood there for what seemed to her forever, and then, with a scrape of a shoe, started to walk away, the footsteps fading away until finally they disappeared into the noise of the rain.

The girl let her head lean against the dumpster's side and cried, her tears rolling down her cheeks mixing with the raindrops.

Suddenly she heard a can being stepped on by something behind her. With terror etched on her face she slowly, slowly turned her head, her body shaking with apprehension...

A large hand grabbed her by her throat and, single-handedly lifted her off the ground and easily held her in mid-air a full two feet off the ground. She tried to frantically kick, punch, scream - anything- at the large shadowed figure, but the figure's grip on her throat prevented her from screaming and her kicking and punching seemed to not even phase it. The figure tilted its head curiously at her abortive attempts at escaping and, without effort, squeezed.

There was a snap, the woman's body convulsed once, and then was still. The larger figure dropped her, her body slumping to the ground like a damp rag, and stepped back, seemingly appraising what had happened.

Then slowly, almost tenderly, the figure went over to her and tentatively touched the woman, slowly pushing back her hair to see her now dead face, her eyes though wide open showing no sign of any spark of life.

The larger figure turned towards the street to see a figure - the same one that the now dead woman had seen earlier - looking towards it. The figure, the light from the streetlamp revealing it to be female, advanced towards the other figure.

"What happened" she said, her words spoken with a barely concealed edge.

The large figure looked from her to the body "she. Irritated me" it spoke with a male voice, cold and devoid of emotion.

The female figure, now up close to him, stared up at him." do you know how long it took to find her?"

"We will find another" the man spoke in a dismissive manner.

"Not like her, not this close..."

In one step the male figure stood in front of her, easily towering over her, his eyes boring into her own.

"We - will find - another" he said, his voice, though seemingly emotionless, hinting the potential that he could unleash if questioned. The woman stepped back, the rage that was once set there replaced with unmistakable fear.

They stood there for what seemed an eternity until the man turned and walked towards a shadow covered dead end, the woman following tentatively behind him. Stopping just before the shadows, the man placed his hand out towards the shadows and muttered to himself, the words lost to the sound of the rain. Suddenly, as if by command the shadows darkened, expanded and enveloped them both, before returning to their original shape, leaving nothing but a dead end and mere shadows once more.

And all the while the woman watched, her eyes long since incapable of comprehending the events that had transpired before her.

But then again, maybe she was lucky...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marla looked out through the glass elevator over Demon central as she ascended ever upwards.

There was never any point; she was always greeted by the same view - a dark, cloudy sky, and the infinite, metallic city below, its spires climbing ever higher, the light from the fires around them seeming to drench them in blood.

Marla sighed and leaned back against the window and faced the door. A repetitive, annoying tune - someone's sick sense of humor - piped into the room.

Less than half an hour ago Marla was in bed, enjoying the beginning of a very long and, in her opinion well earned holiday

_Yes, _thought Marla, _Belldandy's finally back in the heavens, I've been allowed back home, AND I finally get some R&R – bliss!_

She wriggled deeper under he covers, purring in delight as the smoothness of the silk sheets touched her skin.

Nothing could spoil this perfect moment – nothing…..

And that was when the red enveloped message arrived.

A message that could have only come from a member of the high council.

And that could mean only one person...

Within 15 minutes she had dressed, grabbed a cold piece of toast and dashed out of her apartment to get to head office.

The elevator stopped with an audible "PING", and the doors slid open into a seemingly endless corridor. Along it were blank office doors, each the same except for a nameplate on the window. Marla yawned, the mind and body still not yet fully awakened.

_"Sometimes" _though Marla to her, as she started along the corridor,_ "I wonder if bell dandy and her sisters had got such a bad deal being exiled up there..."_

_"If you like it up there so much" _said a smooth, honeyed voice _"I could always arrange it, although...I can't guarantee what form you'll take when you get there"_

My lady", Marla spoke out loud in shock before realizing that the voice emanated from within her mind "_my lady Hild, I was merely..."_

_"Oh no matter"_ the voice of Hild said in a dismissive matter"_ I want you to report to my office promptly - I have some business that needs dealing with...discreetly"_

_"As you will my lady" _replied Marla formally "stupid stuck up ..."

_"I'm still here you know" _said Hild.

Marla jumped out of her skin a she heard Hild's voice vanishes, chuckling to herself.

To say that Hild's office was opulent would be like saying that the Titanic was "a tad waterlogged".

The vast, cathedral - like room was an example of decadence, with gold and silver statues and ornaments bedecking the walls.

And in the centre, surrounded by a moat of liquid gold, sat Hild upon a gold guided seat that was raised well above the ground by two scantily clad well muscled men, who seemed to show no discomfort at the weight they bore.

Marla walked along the red carpet that led towards the seat and kneeled before Hild, showing the traditional form of address for a superior "you summoned me my lady Hild, queen of the underworld, oh..."

Hild, her head resting on a hand that in turn rested on one of the chair arms, waved her other hand dismissively "yes yes I know - now sweetie, can we get down to business I do have other things to do - people to see, places to go, souls to torment - you know, the usual."

Marla, taking the hint to be quiet, duly remained so - despite Hild's otherwise calm, polite persona she'd heard tales of what happened to people who'd...displeased her.

"Now" said Hild "a prisoner has escaped from detention, and I require you to ...recapture them".

"A prisoner?" enquired Marla "surely the usual security can handle that sort of thing"

Hild held her hand up "yes, yes, I am aware of that" she said, her irritation briefly showing through her otherwise calm demeanor" however, there are some...unique problems that require this job to be done ...outside the normal channels"

At this Mara got worried - what prisoner would merit not involving demon central, and why keep it quiet?

"But not to worry, I have made some...arrangements".

"Arrangements?"

"Yes, I'm sending you to meet someone with...experience with this sort of situation".

"And he'll help us?"

"Oh, definitely, in fact I'm sure of it..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dion's at first glance looked like one of the many run of the mill bars in the less well off end of Birmingham, its side street entrance illuminated by the glow of the bar's neon sign, which illuminated the solitary entrance, the muffled sound of music emanating from behind it.

Inside the bar was large, with booths lining one wall and a long, single bar table stretching the length of the opposite wall. Despite the hour of the night the bar was barely a Quarter full - a dozen roughly dressed men lounged around a pool table, some people in booths, theirs faces hidden by shadows, and two men sitting at the bar quietly nursing their drinks.

The door opened and in entered Marla, dressed in tight fitting leather trousers and jacket and a pair of thick soled boots. She scanned the bar, and in turn was looked at by the inhabitants, their faces revealing their thoughts that Marla didn't need empathy to determine.

Failing to see her target she walked up to the bar and called over the barman. The barman, a short olive skinned man who looked to be in his thirties, with coal black hair and a medium build, walked over to her." Can I help you?" he said with a noticeable Grecian accent.

"You Dion?" asked Marla

"Depends who's asking" he replied curtly, his eyes watching her suspiciously.

"I'm looking for a man" answered Marla. Dion raised an eyebrow, only to be met by the cold stare from Marla.

She was about to speak when she suddenly felt someone's hand slap her rear with such force as to knock her against the bar. Marla spun around - and met the face of one of the roughly dressed men - a skin head, with bloodshot eyes, and a scared complexion, his breath nearly overpowering her with the stench of beer.

"Hey there darlin' " he said with a slurred, Scottish sounding voice "if yer lookin' for a man you cant do much wrong with me"- though to be honest if it hadn't been for his breath and the fact that he had a pronounced beer belly she might have found him only slightly repugnant.

"Get lost creep" replied Marla in a condescending tone and turned back towards the barman, only to suddenly feel a hand grab her shoulder and spin her back around. "Hey, didn't yer mother tell yeez it was rude to turn yer back on someone?"

"Hey leave her alone" shouted Dion, only to come face to face with a pair of the man's friends.

"You back off" said the man with a sneer" me an' her were just ...gettin' sociable". At this the rest of men laughed - only to go silent when Marla placed a well aimed knee into his crotch.

The man bent over but with a speed that defied his size turned and hit Marla, throwing her off her seat and onto the barroom floor hard, dazing Marla for a second. The man grabbed Marla by the collar of her shirt and rammed her against the bar, his face red and creased with anger, "you just made a big mistake missy"

"I could say the same about you" retorted Marla defiantly, as she began to summon forth the energy to create a lightning bolt.

The man and his friends laughed derisively at her "what," said the man, the sarcasm practically dripping off his words "am I supposed to be scared of you, sweetheart?"

"You should be Angus"

The man - Angus - and his friends turned to see where the voice came from, two of them producing knives, their blades shining in the barrooms lights.

Their attention was drawn towards the far end of the bar. There sat a man, his face hidden by shadows, who wore a long, grey trench coat. He necked back a whiskey glass and placed it, upside down, on the table. He turned to face the men. Upon entering the light Marla could see a thin, angular face of a man in his mid to late 20's, with black, scruffy looking hair. The man walked slowly towards Angus, his cold blue, almost hawk like eyes staring unflinchingly at Angus, unnerving Angus' men.

"you know Angus" continued the man, as he walked leisurely towards Angus, His voice showing the strains of an Irish accent," didn't your mother tell you it was rude to hit a lady?" by now he was almost face to face with Angus.

"Oh yeah, speaking of your mother - how is flossy the sheep these days?"

One of Angus' men sniggered but Angus didn't - his face lit up bright red, and his mouth curled back in a snarl - a snarl that revealed a row of sharp, distinctly un-human teeth.

Angus, dropping Marla, in a whisper simply said two words - "gut 'im"

As one the gang pounced on the man, their faces also showing the demonic grin and animalistic thrill of killing.

The dark haired man moved as if lightning - here his fist flattening Angus, there his elbow connecting with the throat of one gang member behind him dropping him, his hand's to his throat, to the ground with a solid thunk .

Another dived at him with a knife, intent in disemboweling him - only to be rewarded with his knife being grabbed and twisted from his arm, and a fist hammered into his stomach which sent him flying into a bar table. Another one jumped at him, intent on sinking his sharp teeth into his shoulder, only to be on the receiving end of a foot as the man high - kicked him solidly in the chest, the sound of ribs breaking audible to all within earshot.

Suddenly he felt an arm grab his shoulder and spin him around - followed by a fist connecting with his face. The man flew across the floor and hit the far side of the bar - a full fifty feet - with an audible smack .The man, his back against the wall, shook his head groggily.

One of Angus' men advanced on him, licking his lips - only to receive a left hook from Angus, which sent him crashing to the floor.

"NO!" he bellowed his mouth opening fully to reveal all of his teeth, "He's mine".

Angus advanced on the man, his shadow covering him with an ominous darkness,"im gonna enjoy eatin' you alive".

The dark haired man looked up at him with a sneer "you know what the problem is with you Angus?"

Angus stopped, puzzled - only to arch back, his face frozen in agony, as a bolt of black and red lightning struck him full force, its light blinding everyone in the bar.

When the light finally dissipated Angus - burnt from head to foot - swayed drunkenly, and then fell to the floor, his impact making the bar shudder.

The dark haired man climbed to his feet "you problem is your always thinking with your stomach"

he turned first to Marla, her hand still smoking from casting the hellfire lightning, and then towards the remaining gang members, who were either looking in shock at what had happened to their leader, or trying to get back on their feet.

He looked at them, again his eyes boring into them like drills, and they flinched visibly.

"Boo!" was all the man said - but that was enough to send the gang running for the door and out of the bar.

"OI" he bellowed and the gang stopped.

He pointed towards the remains of Angus "don't forget your rubbish". At this two of the gang members hastily picked but the burnt remains, and again, with hardly a sound, left the bar.

"Bloody redcaps" the man grumbled to himself as he dusted himself off.

It was at this cue that the remaining patrons either hastily grabbed their things and left the bar, or turned quietly to their drinks, the fracas already forgotten, and indeed if it hadn't been for the war zone created by the broken furniture and glasses, it was almost true.

Dion came from behind the bar and walked over to the dark haired man, carrying a bottle of whisky

The man staggered for a second and quickly went over to a relatively undamaged chair and sat down hard, his face sweat-laden as though from exhaustion.

Dion looked over and, partly to Marla and partly to himself said "heh, I've seen him do that loads of times, but it still doesn't cease to amaze me".

_"Aye, reminds me of when I was his age" _Dion though to himself as he went back behind the bar.

Marla walked over to the man and pulled up a chair next to him.

The man raised his head and returned the look.

"looks like I found my god" said Marla.

"And hello to you too" said Loki.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2

**FALLEN ANGEL**

**PART 2  
**

The Wurlitzer in the corner of Dion's selected a record and after a few seconds a jazz tune played its slow, comforting tune to the bar inhabitants - not that anyone was really listening.

The bar was almost empty, due partly to the fight that had happened earlier and the hour of day.

Almost that is except for two people - Marla and Loki - who, after gaining a bottle of whisky from Dion, had adjourned to an empty booth.

Loki set up a glass and after passing a glass to Marla poured a glass for him.

Marla looked at Loki's face in more detail. His face - though not handsome, would easily turn any girl if he made an effort - was stubbled, his features seemed to reflect a tired man, one who'd seen too much and had become cynical with life.

Loki, noticing he was being watched turned to look, and Marla turned away quickly.

"So" said Loki, looking towards Marla and finally breaking the silence, "what have I done to merit a visit from a representative of the hells?"

"Talk about master of subtlety - very well." said Marla, who then took a long draught of whiskey.

"In a nutshell about two weeks ago a prisoner escaped from demon central, and I require you to assist in...Recapturing them".

"A prisoner?" enquired Loki "surely their usual security can handle that sort of thing"

"Theres a.....slight problem," said Marla, who produced a small crystal, and laid it on the table.

The crystal began to glow and from the light it emitted face of a man, about 50 or 60ish, with short, well trimmed beard appeared.

"His names Ozymndrus, and from what ive been told this prisoner escaped from the maximum security wing on the 9th level, which makes him a major league problem"

"How so?" asked Loki.

Marla looked towards Loki." From what ive been told he was a former member of the demon high council"

"Former?" said Loki, raising one eyebrow.

"Apparently, he had his eye on Hilds seat and attempted a takeover, but was caught and imprisoned"

Loki sighed "you said he escaped two weeks ago, why the delay"

At this Marla gave a frustrated grunt "you can thank internal security for that. Apparently they tried to find him on the quiet - they even sent one of their own agents after him."

"What happened to him?"

"Her" corrected Marla "and she's currently missing - that's when they called the heavens for help"

"And they called for me" Loki said, completing Marla's sentence.

" Look, I don't know what beef you've got with them, but I was told that you the best man For his job - and its a simple enough task" said Marla "you and me make contact with the missing agent and re - apprehend the demon - how difficult can it be?"

Loki picked up his glass and stared at its contents.

"So yet again I have to clean up the mess" he said before necking the whisky in one go.

As they walked outside they blinked as the leaden grey of a new, albeit cloudy, day dawned.

"Geese, hasn't this country heard of a clear day" grumbled Marla, as she looked up.

"I've heard rumours of it now and again, but I don't put much belief in it" said Loki, who rolled his eyes when Marla totally missed the irony of his last sentence. "Well, come on, the cars over here." He said, walking down the dark pavement towards the main road, Marla quickly following.

"Car?" she asked, "Why can't we just gate where ever we're going? Or fly even?"

Loki looked her square in the eyes, which made Marla flinch "like I said" whispered Loki "I use my initiative. Besides, im the one whose supplying the area knowledge AND the transport"

"Oh really" sneered Marla, leaning her back against a nearby car, "so where is it?"

"You're leaning against it" Loki said, pointing behind Marla.

Marla jumped back quickly, shocked, and saw what Loki was referring to.

The car was a pretty ordinary looking Morris minor , with a dark red metallic chassis, the interior, although looking "ye oldie world" looked surprisingly comfy.

Not that Marla noticed. "You're telling me "she said, smiling rather forcefully "that we are going to be driving around, for the duration of this assignment, in a reject from A HARRY POTTER FILM?"

As Loki approached the car, a set of key in his hands he looked at her, His eyes narrowed in the same way that he stared t the redcaps earlier, "Firstly, it's my car and I like it."

"Secondly" He continued, as he opened the drivers door "it'll look a whole lot less conspicuous than a souped up sports car will, plus we'll need to be travelling all day, so we'll need to conserve our energy."

"And third" he concluded, as he opened the passenger side door, albeit rather reluctantly "it was a Ford Anglia."

"What?" said Marla as she sat down in the surprisingly comfortable leather seat.

"It was a Ford Anglia they used in the Harry Potter film, not a Morris Minor – get your cars straight"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever" grumbled Marla, as she put her seat belt on. "Look, are you driving or what?"

"Bloody demons" growled Loki as he started the car, its engine thrumming into life, and left the club behind.

* * *

As the sun finally advanced into the horizon its light provided a less than cheerful sight to Marla, as she and Loki drove through early morning Birmingham.

The city had been heavily redeveloped after the second world war, and as a result the city skyline was predominantly filled with high rise flats and concrete office buildings, their grey exteriors offering little comfort or warmth to the environment. The streets were mostly empty save for the occasional drunk, staggering home, or street cleaner, picking up the remains of said drunkards stomachs. The blue-grey light of dawn didn't improve appearances – merely making the world look like a ….

"Jelly baby?"

Marla, suddenly confused by the question, looked over at Loki who, whilst still watching he road, was offering her a small brown paper bag. "w-what – "

"Here" said, Loki, throwing the bag onto her lap, "help yourself".

Marla tentatively picked up the bag and shook some of the contents onto her hand – whereupon what looked like three solid, multicoloured human-like shapes fell out. She picked one of the curious things which, upon closer inspection, did sort of look babyish. She sniffed one, a not too unpleasant smell of sugar wafting off of it.

She picked a red one and popped it into her mouth.

Now, the reader should be aware of two events that happened to Loki about five seconds after this action was taken.

1] Loki, with a supernatural amount of driving skills, managed to stop himself from piling into a nearby lamppost.

And 2] Said Loki was then forced to clear the ringing out of his ears caused by the near ultrasonic squeal of ecstasy emanating from the vicinity of his cars passenger seat.

Loki tuned, slowly, towards the said seat, a rather red faced Marla looking back at him, a little brown paper bag clenched in her hand. She quickly placed the bag on the dashboard, and kept her eyes looking ahead, whilst trying [miserably] not to look at it.

"Interesting, very interesting" Was all she said, her face still red.

Loki reversed the car back onto the road and carried on, neither talking.

* * *

Considering that Astartes, according to Marla, was partial for the rich life, her choice of domicile was....less than exclusive.

"Are you sure this is her place?" said Loki, an eyebrow raised quizzically.

Loki and Marla were standing at the front drive of an ordinary, semi-detached house, the kind that Americans thought of when they thought of "little England", with ivy growing up its front wall, and a perfectly manicured front garden, with a rose bush, and other flowers planted along the edge of the lawn.

"Err...according to the data it is " said Marla, equally bemused.

"Well, there's only one way to find out" said Loki, as he started up the drive towards the front door. After a moment Marla looked around for anyone watching, and quickly followed.

When Marla arrived at Loki's side she found him poking around with the lock with a pair or wires.

"What are you up to?"

"Well, during my stay here ive had to adapt, learn, and..."- a flick of his wrist and the door opened -

"improvise"

"Impressive" said Marla, _arnt you just full of surprises _she thought to herself as she followed Loki inside.

"well, that and its fun" he smiled he followed her in.

The interior of the house though was the apitamy of chincy - with bare wooden floors and flowery wallpaper covering the entryway.

Loki turned to Marla "well, she's a demon - where would she have hidden her files?"

Marla scratched he head "your guess is as good as mine"

Loki sighed "oh-key, plan b" and entered the door to the living room.

Plan B, Marla discovered, consisted of searching the house from loft to cellar, checking the floorboards, walls and rooms both visually, by hand and with Merlin.

Two hours, and much searching later though, and Marla and Loki collapsed onto the sitting room sofa, exhausted and still nowhere nearer finding anything.

"Urrgh" Groaned Marla, rubbing her eyes, "if i have to look at one more damned doillie i'll....."

"Have sugar in your tea?" asked Loki, getting up off the sofa.

"No suger...ey?" Marla said, suddenly pulled from her thoughts by Loki's question.

"I find a cuppa usually helps me think better" Loki replied as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"You've been in Britain for too long" Marla laughed as she relaxed back into the sofa - and then stopped.

Opposite her, and set over the fireplace, was a large black figurine of a woman, adorned with a breastplate and a sword and axe in either hand, the gold leaf highlighting the armours intricate patternwork.

Marla looked at it, racking her mind to remember something - a phrase, a sight, a conversation - something.

Then, her eyes lit up, Marla advanced towards the ornament and, grabbing hold of both of the figures arms, pulled.

As Loki returned, a mug of tea in each hand, he discovered that the living room had had some....alterations.

By "alterations" read "it now looked like a cross between a set fom "star trek" and an S&M parlour."

Gone was the soft, doillie covered sofa, the glass cases full of antiques [well, one did remain, but Loki didnt even want to know what the purpose of its contents were for.], and in its place were monitors and access points, each showing the unmistakeable symbol of three spikes, joined at the bottom and splayed out at their top.

The symbol of Demon central.

Marla was looking at a screen situated where the figurine had been, a holographic keyboard displayed in front of it.

Marla looked over to Loki, her smile revealing her sharper than ordinarily canines. "ta-dah".

Loki raised an eyebrow "impressive, how did you find it?" .

"Easy" replied Marla smugly "you remember that figurine over the fireplace?"

"Oh yeah" Loki recalled "the one of the woman with the big ti -"

A glower form Marla quickly silenced him. "Well, i remembered something Astartes told me about herself - we were arguing and she was showing off - about how one of her ancestors - her namesake no less - was this major league Phonecian deity, all blood and smiting her enemies and what have you. Well as soon as i saw the statue something clicked."

"like i said, impressive. Now how about acessing the system files?"

At this Marlas face scowled "the files are password protected - and she isnt using standard Nidheg encryption protocols". At this she tried to mash her hand into the keyboard, and was rewarded by nearly falling over.

Loki stepped over, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the bracer that contained Merlin. "let me try".

"Oh comon" Marla growled, "This is a high spec system , with some of the best security protocols written, do you seriously expect to be able to...."

Loki looked at Marla "you the betting kind?" and started typing.

After what seemed to Marla a few seconds of fast typing later, the secreen on the monitor changed, a menu replacing the symbol on the screen.

Marla looked at Loki with utter shock, her jaw slack "butbutbutbut...."

"I err..knew someone from your place"said Loki, trying to finish the topic quickly. "Now, lets see what your friend was up to."

loki's hand highlighted one of the icons, which expanded into a window, a list of dates appearing on the left of the screen "must be her log entries - how reguarly would she have reported to Demon central?"

"Errm, about twice a week, her last report was about two week ago".

Loki moved his hand over towards three of the last dates, opening them into three separate windows.

Loki studied each entry in turn, his attention focused on the entries, his only movements when he moved each page down to continue reading.

After what seemed an eternity he stopped, confused "there's something wrong here".

"What?" asked Marla, shocked at Loki's sudden speech

Loki pointed at one of the windows "According to this she talks about an event - a music festival - that she was going to the day after next".

"Yeah, so?"

"Yet the next entry after that - a day later if this is correct - it doesn't mention the event at all".

Marla's eyes widened "someone tampered with the files".

"And did a damn sloppy job of it - Merlin?" and at this Loki rolled up his right arm to reveal an intricate bracer, with two silver wings hold ing a red genm to his arm.

Maybe it was the way Loki talked to the bracer that freaked Marla out.

Maybe it was the seriousness in his tone of voice.

Or maybe it was because the computer talked back to him.

"Oh Yeah" Loki said, pointing towards the bracer "Merlin, Marla. Marla, Merlin. Meet, have sex, shower, chat..."

"If you have QUITE finished", said "Merlin", its voice dripping with sarcasm. "Connect me and I'll get on to it" replied Merlin as Loki moved his arm up towards the console.

"Accessing system......standby........standby........stan - system access successful." Merlin triumphantly chimed.

"And?" said Loki.

"Your observation is correct Loki - someone has been tampering with these files - but I should be able to reconstruct most of it."

"Get on it" said Loki.

* * *

Mr Bentley watered his roses, watching as the droplets splashed over the petals.

At fifty he'd decided to retire early as a teacher, part due to personal reasons.

The fact that he'd been threatened with the sack may have also had something to do with it.

Never a liked teacher, Bentley in retaliating with equal gusto with punishments for the slightest transgressions. If one of the schoolboys hadn't grassed to the governors that he was willing to alter the boys exam results for acting as an informant he'd still be there.

damn children these days, grumbled Bentley to himself, as he lifted his arm to raise his watering can....

The first thing that struck him was that his hand was no longer attached to his arm, a ragged, blood spurting stump. A look showed his hand , the can still grasped, lying not too far away.

The next thing he knew he had been grabbed from behind, and dragged into the shadows, where pairs of glowing, blood red eyes awaited him hungrily. Bentley tried to scream, to shout - anything - but nothing came out.

And nothing ever did.....

* * *

Merlin suddenly stopped processing, never a good sign by Loki's book.

"Merlin..."

"Warning - i am detecting multiple M.D.s approaching our vercinity" Merlin suddenly chimed, causing Loki to curse and run towards the door.

Marla followed quickly followed " M.D.s?"

"Multi - Dimensional beings" replied Loki as he made is way to the kitchen, and towards the kitchen door,

"its means - "

Suddenly the door blasted off its hinges, hitting Loki square on and throwing him, door and all, into the fridge opposite.

Marla, who was just behind Loki, was lucky enough to miss it but, as the dust settled and she could see outside, he soon wondered if she'd done something REALLY bad in a previous life.

"Well well well, fancy meetin' youz here darlin' "

There, standing outlined in what was left in the doorframe, was Angus, his face still red and disfigured, his one good eye glaring balefully. Behind him Marla could see other shapes through the kitchen windows and door, their appearance giving Marla no questions to their identity.

The rest of the redcaps, eyes glowing, and their mouths , blood - covered and salivating, slowly advanced towards Marla.

Marla took a defensive stance, a ball of red and black lightning forming in her hand.

The gang stopped, but Angus merely smiled, causing his already ruined face to take on an almost animl like appearnce.

"she only has time to charge and fire one bolt at a time, so as soon as she fires, feckin' take them - "

"NO!"

As one Marla and the redcaps turned towards the rear of the garden - where a tall figure stood, their face hidden by the hood of a dark cloak yet whose visable figure was unmistakbly female stood.

"Your orders where to bring them to our lord ALIVE, not pulverised!"

Angus scowled at the woman - and then the world exploded into a blinding white light.

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Chapter 3

**Fallen Angel**

**Chapter 3**

A bird sang off in the distance, its melancholy song complementing the tune the young maiden played on her harp.

The large vaulted room she played in accentuated the notes, almost pulling them higher into the sky and beyond. Light shined into the room trough the large, ornate windows that reached almost has high as the roof. The tune ended, and the dark haired maiden turned towards her only audience - a woman of possibly middle years.

The woman sat in an ornate chair, the only other furniture in the room other than the small stool that the maiden sat on. The woman sat in silence - her dark blue clothes absorbing all light that dared to approached it - the only sound coming from the birdsong outside, before speaking.

"Thank you dear, I wish to be alone for awhile".

The maiden curtseyed and, taking the stool and harp, left the room through the only exit - a set of large, ornate wooden doors. For a while silence returned, dust motes dancing through the rays of light.

"Heimdall dear" she said at last, her voice revealing a upper class, well cultured accent, "if you must enter, just do so - I can't stand you skulking in the shadows like that".

One of the shadows parted from the background, and revealed itself to be a man of middle to late years, with a bald head and a goatee white with age. He wore robes of cream and pale blue, such fitting his station as head of the war office.

"My apologies" said Heimdall, his voice giving off an English accent, " I didn't wish anyone to see me arrive - the Girl?...."

"She did not see you" said the woman, dismissively, "grant me with some sense to not hire her if it had been such".

"Indeed my lady Frigga" bowed Heimdall.

Frigga paid him no mind - or at least did not seem to. "How go things on Midgard?"

"As expected, ma'am" Heimdall spoke, moving round to stand in front of Frigga "Demon central have sent an operative to assist in the investigation"

"And who have you sent on the heavens behalf?"

"One of my best operatives" Heimdall respond, carefully choosing his words.

But it was done for naught "You sent him, didn't you" said Frigga, her voice remaining level and emotionless.

Heimdall sighed "As I said he is my be-"

"I CARE NOT - "Frigga screamed, then stopped and calmed herself down." I care not if he is you best agent, in case you forgot what he did -"

"And in case YOU forget" Heimdall interrupting Frigga" I come to you as a courtesy BECAUSE of what happened - officially I answer to one of higher authority than both of us".

Frigga held Heimdall's stare for what seemed an eternity, and then nonchalantly turned away, as thought they had merely talked bout the weather. "Will he succeed?"

"As I said he has assistance - apparently one of Demon centrals best agents"

Frigga smirked "And if you believe that you'll believe anything".

Both people remained silent for a very long minute before Heimdall spoke." Frigga, when he finds out - you'll know what he'll do...."

Frig smiled slightly, "I care not for that - in fact I wait to see his face when he does. Now, if there is no other business?"

Heimdall, taking his queue, bowed and left the room, the doors opening by themselves.

When the doors closed Frigga reclined back into her seat and closed her eyes, allowing the sounds of birdsong outside and the heat of the sunlight to flow over her.

* * *

As she slept a pair of golden, cat - like eyes gleamed in the shadows of the room.

They blinked once, and then were gone.

* * *

Loki picked the banana peel from his jacket pocket. "Almighty, what did I do to deserve this?"

"What are you whinging about, I got us out didn't I?"

Loki grunted - true, it was due to Marla's portal gate that they'd escaped from the house before the redacps got them - but he still didn't want to admit it.

Even a god has his pride.

Marla's portal had deposited them in an alleyway a few streets over from Astartes' apartment - although Loki was sure it was more than coincidence that, although Marla landed none the worse for ware, he got deposited on a pile of rubbish filled bin bags. In the distance the sound of police sirens could be heard.

"So, any bright ideas? Thanks to you and your damned car, we're now on the ten most wanted lists."

Loki shook his head " come off it, I mean it's not as things -"

Marla, moving like quicksilver, was face to face with Loki "don't - finish - that - phrase" she whispered, pronounciating each word carefully.

Loki, for a second registering shock, quickly returned to his grim, sardonic mask of old. He put his hand out " you gonna help me out or what?"

Marla, grimacing, complied, and a short while later the pair were dashing from alleyway to alleyway, always on the alert for police or passer-bys. Eventually they reached a crowded street and, after waiting for a lull in the crowd, they merged into the bustling mass of shoppers and pedestrians.

"So, now what're we gonna do, with the goon squad after us, we're still nowhere near finishing this job" Marla grumbled.

"It won't be a problem" said Loki "Heimdall will handle that . Something about this job just doesn't sit right though"

"What you mean?"

"Firstly. we go to her house and nearly get turned into redcap chowder"

"Secondly, we find parts of her logs have been altered" Loki counted off.

"Third, if this demon is so dangerous and high up in the council why the hells hasn't demon central sent a full team here - why just the two of us?"

"And finally, why the hells is the murderers face hidden, if it's that demons? He must know we know it's him, and why kill Astartes so messily?"

"Ah, maybe he was silencing her" said Marla.

"And why didn't he just disintegrate her?"

"Because, idiot, his energy thread would have flagged up on Nidheg instantly, and we would have found him already"

"But he's already out, wouldn't his thread have been spotted already?" conjectured Loki.

" Not so," said Merlin "With the correct masking programs he could hide his thread"

"The same type that's.... never mind" Loki said, noting Marla's quizzical look.

"Correct, but only someone on the council could have activated the program, and the demon himself couldn't set the program himself"

"So someone on the demon high council is helping him?" said Marla, confused. "But, how-"

"Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice" grumbled Loki as he hailed a passing taxi.

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Chapter 4

**Fallen Angel**

**Chapter 4**

**Copy write **- No pocky was harmed in the creation of this fan fiction.

[Although a few chocolate digestives were viciously nibbled]

The door tinkled as a bell attached to the top of it rang. Loki and Marla entered into a small, cramped looking shop, its walls bare except for a counter directly opposite them. A small shutter with a wall mounted speaker and camera the only obvious features.

Marla looked over to Loki, "is this guy reliable?"

"What, Fagin? Sure I trust him – well about as far as I'll trust an alligator not to bite me in half"

"And we're here to see him now - why?"

"_Because, demon first class Marla", _came a tinny sounding voice coming from the speaker, "_There is always a need for my services, regardless of the price"._

"Hello Fagin" said Loki, seemingly nonplussed, "we need information".

"A_h yes," _said the voice, smugness oozing from the speaker, "_always business with you, isn't it?"_

"Yeah well, I'm not one for small talk – you know why I'm here"

"_Indeed – you know my price?"_

Loki put his hand inside his jacket and produced a black bag, its contents jingling inside.

He placed the bag on the counter and stood back as the counter rotated around, leaving an empty counter once more.

"_I Might have had…dealings with this girl of your – bit of a looker, well stacked –know what I mean?"_

Marla and Loki merely stared.

[Ahem] "_well, she was askin' for particular information-"_

"What sort?" said Marla, impatient, an unusual anger in her eyes.

_Well, there's the minor matter of what its worth to you"_ Fagin's voice sneered.

Marla, her face a mask of stone, clenched her fist; red and black spark erupting as she did so.

"Loki, would you mind waiting outside" she spoke though her teeth, "aunty Marla needs to do not-nice things to this mans soul"

"_Nownownow" _spoke Fagin, his panicked voice raising an octave _"Loki, call her off will you?"_

"Well" said Loki, crossing his arms, "there's a minor matter of what's its worth to you"

There was a hushed moment, and then the counter practically flew around, a large brown envelope deposited on it. "_That's all the info she was after, but she never came back for it I swear"_

At this, Marla's rage suddenly vanished as quickly as he lightning and, with a ladylike grace, she walked over to the desk and stuffed the envelope into her jacket.

"Nice doing business with you" she smiled at the camera.

Loki turned towards the door, "come on Marla, we're going"

"What?" said Marla, faking bemusement, "but we just got here."

"Look its simple," said Loki as he and Marla passed through he door and into the light of day, "I can't exactly dial up heaven and ask for information right?."

"Right, because you're banished, I know, you told me"

"Yeah, well amongst other things. Look the point being is, despite things, I also need Fagin's services to act as a contact for me"

"Who do you need to contact?"

Loki at this grinned and tapped his nose "people in the know. Now are you hungry? I fancy some noodles….."

The waitress of Wagamamas looked confused at the man and woman sitting at the table before her.

"Y-y- you want to talk to the head chef?"

"Yes" said Loki irritated.

"And you want me to tell him that the puffa fish –"

"With fries"

"With fries, yes" said the waitress, "was rotten"

"That's right dear. Now run along now" said Loki, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

The waitress walked away, confused – since when did Wagamamas serve puffa fish?

Loki turned toward Marla seated opposite, who was happily slurping and chomping way at her chicken ramen,

"Enjoying yourself?" he said, his own serving of the thick noodle and chicken laden meal half eaten.

Marla slammed her now empty bowl onto the table, a look of bliss beaming across her face "this must be where all Ramen goes to when they die".

"That good huh?" Loki said archly.

Marla lean back, dreamily, "ooh, yeah, just like that old guy at that ramen stand back in-" but at this Marla stopped, her mood suddenly melancholy. "In a previous assignment" she hurriedly finished, looking over to Loki's bowl of cooling chicken and noodles. "You having that?"

Loki looked at the bowl and, sighing, passed it over, "go knock yourself out".

Marla eagerly began her assault when he suddenly noticed a shadow –a large shadow- appear in front of her.

And the unmistakable aura of a god.

She instinctively summoned the power to create a lighting bolt when she felt a strong hand grab her arm, disrupting her concentration enough to dissipate her spell.

"For Almighty's sake Marla cool it!" whispered Loki, who had near jumped over the table to grab her "we're here to see him, not blow him up!"

'Him' made a polite, and none too subtle cough. The man, clearly oriental in origin, had receding hairline, his hair tied into a ponytail. His forearm, visible due the sleeves of his cook's outfit being rolled up, showed strength earned through many years of hard labour rather than of cooking.

"If you've quite finished?" The cook said, his arms crossed and his face showing irritation, "you wanted to see me?"

"We want to talk to you – in private" Loki said, leaning back over to his side of the table. Marla just looked at the cook suspiciously.

The cook, first looking at Marla and then turning to Loki cocked his head towards the kitchen." this way" was all he said.

The trio passed through the kitchen, the kitchen staff either too busy or deliberately not taking notices of the strange visitors. All around them wafted the mesmerising aromas of spices and meat. Marla drooled at the oh-so familiar smell of fried teriyaki, the ginger and chicken melding their aromas perfectly.

The cook finally came to a sturdy wooden door, the words "STORAGE" clearly marked on it. The cook, producing a key, quickly unlocked and opened the door. "Inside quickly" he said quietly.

The room they entered was square, about 20 feet by 40 feet, and full of boxes. A small striplight offered what little illumination it could offer. After Marla and Loki entered the cook checked outside and then firmly closed the door. Marla sat down on a pile of boxes as the cook and Loki looked at each other intently, neither acknowledging her existence.

"You want it don't you" the cook said, finally breaking the silence.

"You knew the agreement we had" said Loki.

The cook sighed and, turning towards a solid wall, seemed to pass his hand clean though it. After a second he retracted his hand, to reveal a long cylindrical container, its black exterior absorbing what light touched it. He quickly thrust the cylinder towards Loki, his face grim, "take it – just, take it - but be warned" he said as Loki went to take it "ill not be blamed for what you do with that - you take it and only you will answer for it".

Loki merely looked at the cook and, taking the cylinder, stuffed it into his trench coat. He turned and headed for the door "come on Marla we're done here".

Marla chased after her, confused, "what the hells was that all about?"

"Insurance, protection, – something like that" he mumbled and said no more for some time.

The cook watched the pair leave and, sighing, returned to the kitchens to work, advice -anything.

_It's his problem now, not mine_ he kept thinking to himself as he received an order for chicken teriyaki.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the woman leave the storage room, her golden, cat – like eyes gleaming in the shadows.

Loki didn't know what he hated more about the rain.

Maybe it was the fact that it seeped into him, dampening his clothes, and chilling his body to the bone, or maybe it was the atmosphere that it created - a soulless, colourless mass, that covered the world with a grey, mist-like shroud.  
Loki had received the message from Fagin that had brought the two of them outside the door of a rather grand, Edwardian period house about two hours prior, and the rain wasn't helping his patience much.  
The fact that Marla was grumbling continuously didn't help much either.  
When the door first opened a woman - oriental and about late teens, Loki guessed - had appeared. She had shoulder length hair, and wore a smart black suit, with a black skirt and a white shirt that bore a mandarin collar at its neck.  
"May I help you?" the woman said looking at Loki dispassionately.  
"We're expected" answered Loki.  
The woman looked Loki up and down. "Wait here" was all she said, and before Loki could say anything more she closed the door.  
That had been an hour ago and she had still not returned. Marla turned to walk away.  
"Sod this for a game of soldiers" she grumbled.  
"Look" Loki said, his irritation showing, "Do you want to know where your friend is?"  
Marla turned and glowered.  
"Then quit your whining and wait - if these guys don't know where she is then no - one does".  
The door opened and the girl once again appeared.  
"They will see you now" was all she said before stepping aside to allow them in.

Marla quickly stepped in past Loki "Took your bloody time didn't you?"  
The woman didn't answer and silently lead the way to a flight of ornate stairs.  
As she entered the house Marla noted the fact that, for all its exterior grandeur, none of the rooms contained any furniture or paintings – they were either empty or what furniture there was was covered with dust cloths, there identity masked by the heavy cloth. She walked pass these rooms, her footsteps echoed loudly through the house.  
Marla shivered, as much from the emptiness as the cold. "How the hells can anyone live in a place like this?"  
"I see no problem with it," said the woman, her voice as cold and emotionless as her face.  
The woman lead Loki and Marla towards a set of ornate, winding stairs, the passing of time it seemed not affecting the woodwork of the ornate hand railing.  
The woman stopped at the foot of the stairs and stared directly at the two of them.  
"Up the stairs straight along the corridor and knock at the door in front of you – do not delineate from that course" she said in an unemotional voice, almost as a drill sergeant barking orders at a private.  
Loki walked towards the stairs but as he put a foot on the first step he turned towards the woman.  
"So, what's a nice girl like you doing working in a place like this?" he joked.  
"Having pricks like you trying to chat me up" she replied coldly and turned and walked off.  
Marla sniggered at Loki, who simply sighed,  
"What's biting her?" he wondered, and continued up the stairs.  
"So much for being the ladies man." Marla muttered under her breath.  
"I heard that," said Loki.

The stairs turned to the left and as Loki and Marla walked upwards he noted the dust outlines where once pictures hung on the walls in a previous time. Their absence seeming only to heighten the emptiness of the house.  
The stairs terminated at a darkened, ornate landing with a t-junction crossing Loki's path, their contents cloaked by shadows. Without much thought he began down the centre path, pausing for second to drag a curious Marla from the left corridor.

"Ow-I was only going to have a look"

"The cats last words" said Loki, sarcastically.

At the end of the corridor was, as he was told, a large set of oak wooden doors, their surfaces unadorned and blank.  
Loki and Marla walked towards the doors, knocked three times, and waited.  
The doors opened, despite a lack of anyone opening them, and both of them were blinded for a second by the sudden glare of light from in the room.  
Loki and Marla waited to allow their eyes to adjust to the light, and then entered.

The room, in contrast to the rest of the house, was filled with bookshelves and piles upon piles of books of all types, colour and size. The only other furniture was a pair of desks, set at opposite sides of the wall and facing each other. Behind each desk was sat a slim built man, in their thirties, with bald heads, and dark, round rimmed glasses. Both were dressed in tweed jackets with black shirts and ties.  
Both looked as alike as each other - identical twins almost - but Loki knew them both easily.  
"Munin, Hugin" said Loki to the two men.  
The man on the left turned towards Loki, "You're late," he said gruffly.  
"Munin" the other - Hugin presumably - said scornfully.  
Munin grunted and pointed towards a pair of chairs in the middle of the room, set between the two desks  
"Sit there".  
Loki sighed and duly did so, Marla following a slight hesitation. Munin sifted through a pile of papers and after finding the one he wanted he studied it carefully.  
"Loki, god first class, type one license unlimited restrictions." Munin recited in a droning voice, devoid of emotion. Munin looked up at Loki, waiting for a response from him.  
"What?" asked Loki.  
Munin merely grunted and continued  
"Previously assigned to systems programming you received quite a few commendations, in particular for the Fenrir program"  
"Tyr didn't think it was so good" he mumbled to himself.  
"Ahem…" Munin said.  
Loki put his hands up in supplication "Sorry, sorry"  
"You had a somewhat shining career," Munin continued "until your trail and conviction for the murder of Balder, the son of the almighty" these words he spoke with unmistakable venom in his voice.  
_Here we go_ thought Loki.  
"The trail at which you were stripped of your powers and banished to midgard until the day that you shed a tear of regret for Baldur and the crime you committed"  
"Hell'll freeze over before that happens." said Loki.  
"Yes," sneered Munin "I believe that you said at the trail as well - prior to sentencing," Munin put the paper down "did I miss anything?"  
Loki merely glowered at him.  
Munin then turned towards Marla  
"And as for you - Marla, demon first class no limitations, formerly assigned to system security, currently working as a field agent for demon central. Currently assigned to deal with a... Morisato of Nekomi Japan, with hardly much success."  
Marla merely glowered at Munin. A dark though came to mind.  
"He's not worth it" whispered Loki.  
Marla cocked her head towards him, "What?"  
Loki just smiled.  
"Well, well Mr Loki, you certainly keep...interesting company" said Munin.  
"At least I get out - which is more than you can say" retorted Loki.  
Munin was about to answer when a not too subtle "a-HEM" could be heard from the direction of Hugin. "If you three have quite finished?"  
three of them - Loki, Marla and Munin - looked over towards Hugin who, despite being Munim's twin in looks and attire, had a warmer, less cynical expression.  
"I trust that your reason for contacting us is important - I sure your aware that we're very busy people."  
Loki knew that fact well - Munin and Hugin were the Almighty's personal information gatherers and archivists, and could access the largest repository of data, lore and information in the known heavens and hells. If these two men didn't know it, then it wasn't true.  
Although he never understood why humans portrayed them as ravens, looking at their hooked noses and passion for black clothes he could sort of see the resemblance.  
Loki gestured to Marla "She's your demon, you go ask"  
Marla looked over towards Hugin "We're looking for a demon...."  
"Have you tried demon central?" interrupted Munin, who got a cold stare from Marla.  
"An operative," Marla continued, through clenched teeth," assigned to earth some years ago, who went missing about two weeks ago."  
"Munin, demon operatives file please" Hugin asked Munin, who promptly started looking through a shelf of seemingly similar looking books.  
"Hey?" Marla whispered to Loki, confused "Why ask him - can't he do it himself?"  
"Because Hugin deals with recent data," Loki whispered into Marla's ear "Its Munin who handles past information"  
"That's a stupid way of doing things isn't it?" Marla whispered back.  
Loki shrugged "Works for them".  
Munin returned to his desk, a large red book in his hands, and started thumbing through the pages  
"Demon's name" Munin asked.  
Marla looked towards Munin "Astartae"  
Munin looked through the book till he stopped at a particular page  
"Ah, Astartae, demon first class no limitations, assigned to midgard as an observation agent. Hmm," at this Munin looked puzzled "strange"  
"What?'  
"I don't have anything on this Astartae, after about the time you stated - Hugin, you forget to update her file?" Munin glowered.  
Hugin came from behind his desk and came over to Munin, who thrust the book into Hugin's arms, and pointed to the section.  
Hugin looked at the page puzzled  
"Strange, it should have updated" and, book in hand, went back to his desk and looked through a pile of papers. Loki looked concerned at this turn of events, as did Hugin and Munin.  
"I take it that this isn't normal?" said Marla  
"No it most certainly is not," answered Hugin, scouring a pile of papers, "we pride ourselves on being absolutely accurate with our information - we have to be, considering who we work for."  
Just then the door opened and the Asian girl entered and, not paying any notice to Loki or Marla, handed a piece of paper to Hugin  
"This arrived just now" was all she said before turning and leaving the room.  
Hugin, taking the piece of paper, was just about to add it to his already large pile when he stopped and looked at it again with more detail.  
"This Astartae, was she female, dark hair, tanned complexion?"  
Marla blinked "Yeah that's her, why?"  
Hugin's face took on a more sombre expression, and handed Marla the paper  
"I believe I know why her file hasn't been updated recently...."

* * *

Doctor Mariah Eaton had officially finished her shift for the day, and was she glad for it.  
She had worked at the county morgue for nearly five years but yet the tall, Afro-Caribbean woman always felt uncomfortable about working with all those dead bodies -And the latest body she'd worked on was no exception.  
Mariah shook her head "I definitely need a drink."  
She walked through a set of double doors into the reception area. A guard, in his fifties with greying temples, sat at the reception desk, a set of camera screens placed behind him.  
"Heading home?" said the guard as Mariah passed by.  
"Yeah, I think I've had enough for today," replied Mariah "see you tomorrow Barney"  
"See ya," said Barney, who pressed the release button for the door and watched as Mariah left.  
Barney went back to reading his book when he heard a loud tapping in the door.  
Barney looked up and saw Mariah tapping on the door. Puzzled he buzzed Mariah through.

"Forgotten something?" asked Barney as Mariah entered.

"My purse." Mariah said a look of embarrassment on her face.

Barney smiled "Don't be too long," and returned to his seat.  
Mariah walked through the doors and, after a minute of looking found the door she was looking for, and entered the morgue.  
Looking around she found no sign of any security camera. She then put her hand into her pocket.

"Okay Marla, rise and shine,"

"Hey, watch the threads," said a miniature Marla as Mariah, picking her up by the scruff of her jacket, placed her on the ground.

"Don't complain," said Maria as her form shifted and blurred until it assumed the familiar shape of Loki, "at least it got us in here."

"Oh yeah right, like that guard would have been a challenge," said a now full sized Marla, "I mean one lightning bolt..."

"In case you hadn't noticed we're supposed to be doing this quietly." said Loki, annoyance audible in his voice "Besides, having a guard with a large hole in his chest would not be the most subtle of ideas right now. Now try and look through the records of the most recent arrivals"  
Marla sarcastically mouthed Loki's last words and began looking through the sheets of records, while Loki checked the file cabinets.  
It took a few minutes until Loki pulled out a piece of paper.  
"Here we go," he said triumphantly."Jane Doe, female, found about two weeks ago, cause of death..." at which Loki stopped reading.  
"Well?" said Marla, looking concerned at Loki.  
Loki simply passed Marla the paper and moved towards the storage areas where the bodies were kept.  
Marla looked at the piece and froze at the same point that Loki had.  
"Cause of death was the neck being broken".  
Loki, after a moment of checking, stopped at one door and, after opening it pulled out a tray, its contents covered by a white plastic bag.  
"But this is impossible" said Marla "nothing on earth could do this to her"  
"Obviously whoever did this wasn't from earth" said Loki, as he unzipped the bag.  
The body that presented was that of a woman, late twenties early thirties, with straight dark hair and a tanned complexion.  
If it weren't for the fact that she had a large welt around her neck and her being in the mortuary one could almost mistake her for being asleep.  
Loki looked at the body and then over to Marla "Is this her?"Marla checked the body over and then quickly looked away. "Yes its her." was all she said.  
Loki looked at her questioningly "Never imagined you as the squeamish type."  
"Sod you," Marla retorted, but there was no strength in her reply.  
Loki stopped and looked over at Marla, who was still turned away from him.  
"Was she someone you knew?".Marla turned slightly towards Loki "I competed with her for the job of earth realm observer - I nearly had the job but her uncle was on the council so she got through."

Marla laughed weakly "I suppose it was just as well... you know... it might have been..." Marla went silent and stayed turned from Loki.  
Loki knew what she meant - it could have easily have been her on the slab.

He looked the body over. "Well I wont be able to do a mind scan of her, she's been dead for too long." he grumbled."Then how the hell are we gonna know what happened to her then?" Marla retorted, as she turned back around to face him.

"Hey, hey," Loki replied "let me finish. We can't do a mind scan but we can try something else." and at this Loki started fumbling through his coat pockets. After a moment he produced a small digital camera.

"What's that for?" Marla asked, as she stepped a little closer towards Loki.

"Well, its said that at the moment of death, that the eye captures the last image that it sees and burns it into its retina. So, if we can get a clear shot..."

"Then we can see who killed her." Marla said, completing Loki's sentence.

"Indeed, now lets hope this works" and at this Loki placed the camera lens close to the bodies eyelid as possible. After a few seconds of fumbling though he turned to Marla

"Hey Marla give us a hand her will you?"

Marla's blood froze "What, you mean next to...?"

"Yes," Loki said irritably, "I need a hand over here."  
Marla tentatively walked over to Loki and, standing opposite him looked over.

"Okay, now what?"

"Hold this eyelid open for me." Loki replied matter-of-factly, and pointed towards the bodies left eye.

Marla blanched "You want me to do WHA--?"  
Marla's sentence was cut short by Loki's hand being slapped over her mouth.

"Shut up will you!" he whispered angrily. After a moment of silent listening for any sound from outside Loki eased his hand off of Marla's mouth.

"Look I can't hold the camera and keep the eyelid open at the same time can I? Now just hold it open, like this." and at this he took her hand and with her index and thumb prised the body's left eyelid open.

Loki saw Marla grimace, and sighed. "Look, I promise I'll be as quick as possible." he said

"Yeah, yeah, just get your shots and lets go" Marla replied quickly, still grimacing as the flash on Loki's camera flashed again.

Suddenly footsteps could be heard coming down the corridor.

"Doctor Eaton?" said the voice of Barney the security guard "are you alright in there? You've been a while now" the footsteps were definitely coming closer every second.

Loki cursed "Damnit! That's all we need - Marla the body!" and ran towards the door just as the guard likewise reached it.

"Doctor Eaton?" said the guard as her went to open the door.

Suddenly the door opened - and Doctor Eaton appeared.

"Yes? Is there any trouble?"

"Oh, sorry doctor Eaton, its just that you've been quite a while now and I was getting worried."  
Doctor Eaton smiled and waved Barney away

"Oh sorry, lost track of time, I'll just go get my purse," and at this disappeared around the door.

"Oh righty-ho then" Barney said, and was about to turn and walk back when he stopped for a second - why would she keep her purse in the morgue?  
Puzzled, Barney walked through the door.  
Sure enough everything was in order, the storage areas for the bodies were secure, nothing seemed out of place.  
Doctor Eaton appeared at his side, causing Barney to jump in shock.

"Right I'm ready to go," she said with a smile on her face

"Got everything now?" Barney said.

"Yes," she said patting her jacket pocket "I think I've got all I need now"

Doctor Eaton exited the building and quickly turned a corner to walk over towards a Red Morris Minor. The once pleasant face had changed into one of anger and by the time she had gotten into the driver's seat an angry Loki had replaced the doctor.  
Loki paused for a second then twice punched the steering wheel.

"GAAAHHH!"

"What's up with you" said a diminutive voice as mini - Marla exited from Loki's jacket pocket and landed on the passengers seat.

"Damnit" Said Loki "Thanks to that guard I couldn't get a copy of the bodies files, and we need them."  
Suddenly a pair of brown paper sleeves filled with paper and stamped with the local mortuary's official stamps appeared in Loki's line of vision. On the end of the files was attached the hand and arm of a now normal sized Marla.

"What?" said Marla, a triumphant smile on her face, "You mean these files?"  
Loki went to grab the files, but Marla snapped them away, placing them inside her jacket.

"In case you forgot we're suppose to be working together," said Marla, cockily.

"And in case you forgot," retorted Loki as he started up the car "if it hadn't been for your lot keeping mum about this whole mess we might have sorted this out sooner."

"Oh here we go," groaned Marla, as the car pulled out of the car park. "When shit happens blame the demons"

"Probably because half the time it is the demons fault!" Loki shouted back.

"Loki?" said Marla.

"What!?" shouted Loki.

Marla pointed ahead "Red light."  
Loki looked at Marla and looked ahead. Instantly his face registered shock and he hit the brakes hard, the car screeching to a halt before the set of traffic lights ahead.  
The car stood there for what seemed like an eternity, its occupants remaining silent, neither looking at each other.  
Marla didn't know why she said the next thing, and she didn't expect Loki's response.

"It's not as if you gods are all squeaky clean good guys either."

Loki's face remained stone-like "You have no idea..."  
the lights changed to green, and the car moved off.  
"You got anywhere to stay?" said Loki, after a prolonged silence.

"No,"

"You can stay at my digs." and with that nothing further was said.

Barney looked out of the door and watched the car pull out of the car park and onto the road.  
He watched his clock and, after 15 minutes, turned and went to his desk and, after dialling a telephone number, waited.

"Hello? Yes, the people you asked me to look out for..."

"Yes, yes sir, they took the files. What do you wish done with the body?"  
Barney listened to the phone and then nodded.

"Yes my Leigh, I'll get right onto it."  
And with this he put the phone down and opened his desk.

He pulled out a metallic, five-pointed star, engraved with obscure images that he could not, or didn't wish to, understand the meaning of.

He walked into the morgue and, without looking, went towards the unit that housed Astarte's body.  
Upon opening the bag he looked upon Astarte's naked body and, licking his lips, moved his hand towards her chest, his hand eager to caress her soft, cold flesh.

Barney suddenly stopped, and retracted his hand.  
_No_, he thought to himself _I must do my Leigh's duty first... then if it pleases my Leigh..._

He placed the star firmly on her chest, and pressed a red gem set in the centre of the star. As the gem started to glow Barney turned and walk out of the morgue. He stopped at the desk and looked down behind it.

There was the long dead body of the real Barney, his face twisted in agony from the large gaping hole where his chest should have been.

'Barney' smiled and, grabbing a small black handbag, turned and walked towards the door. As he did so his shape altered and flowed until the figure of a tall slim female, with flowing black hair, and dressed in a black cat suit and combat boots, pushed open the door.

The woman turned back, her yellow, cat - like eyes gleaming in the light - smiled, and left. Walking halfway across the tarmac car park she stopped and turned, expectantly, towards the building.

Suddenly there was a flash of light, and the building was ripped apart by a massive explosion, that shattered glass and ripped up the tarmac like paper.

And all the while the cat eyed woman watched, debris landing dangerously close to her.

She smiled, and walked away into the night.

TO BE CONTINUED……..


	5. Chapter 5

**FALLEN ANGEL**

**PART 5**

The shadowed figure sat upon a large, metallic throne, its hand tapping rhythmically upon the arm, and its view - if it could be seen - focused across the long, torch - lit room towards the set of huge, double doors at the other end.

Suddenly the doors opened, bringing with it a white light that tried, and failed, to illuminate the room. The doors quickly shut, returning the room to shadow.

And revealing a cloaked figure that had entered.

The figure walked down the long room, its shoes echoing on the stone floor, its pace never hesitant, never slowing, until it reached the throne, which was raised upon a stone dais.

The figure stopped and, without pause, fell to one knee, its cloak hiding its features.

The figure on the throne looked down towards the cloaked figure "have you done as i have asked?" it said with smooth, masculine voice.

"Yes mi lord" replied the other figure, revealing an equally smooth, but feminine, voice. She looked up towards the man and smiled, a pair of cat - like eyes gleaming in the torchlight "i trust i did well?"

"Perfectly" said the man, "perfectly"

Marla groaned, and turned her body away from the offending light that dared to wake her up.

After a few minutes though she grunted and, throwing the sheets aside, swung her legs out of bed...

_Bed? _ Thought Marla suddenly, her sleep-addled brain finally noticing something not right, _come to think of it_ _where the hells __**am **__I?_

She sat on the edge of the bed, trying to piece together the events of last night.

_Okay, we went to the Morgue, _she thought, and then shuddered as she recalled holding the eyelid open _then we left...oh yeah and then we came back to Loki place..._

Suddenly her head perked up, all sleepiness banished in an instant - _**back to lokis place?**_

She slowly, slowly turned to look at the other side of the bed...and was relieved - and a tad disappointed - to find no-one there on the opposing side.

_Oh well_ she thought _ too good to be true i guess _ and with that she got out of bed and, with but a thought, willed a new set of clothes into being.

Unlike last time Marla chose to tone down her dress ware today - which in "Marla speak" meant a pair of form fitting black jeans, a blue sleeveless t-shirt, and a black leather jacket, with a pair of black, knee-high boots finishing off the ensemble. After a quick inspection and a satisfactory nod of her head she walked over to the bedroom door.

The room Marla walked into seemed to be the central living room and with the exception of a sofa placed in front of an electric fire on the opposite side to her, a small alcove that seemed to serve as a kitchen and a table in one corner which was home to a black and sliver lined laptop there was little else in the way of furniture. The window to her right was shaded by a Venetian blind, the sunlight casting bars of light across the room.

Lying on a couch, covered by a plaid blanket, was Loki. Marla was about to cross over towards the kitchen when something stopped her, and instead she leaned over to look at him closer, her eyes following details she hadn't seen - or not bothered to notice - before.

Even when he was asleep Loki still had a troubled, disgruntled look etched on his face, almost as if he was born with it. She noticed that despite his apparent age he still looked like a man in his early thirties, with a ruddy complexion, a slightly angular chin and a nose that was, in Marla's opinion, almost classical in shape.

_In essence a real ladies man, if he'd put his mind to it. _Thought Marla.

It was when she looked further that she noticed something majorly wrong.

_Where the hells are his control programs? _She thought. Sure enough he had no control program markings, not even on his cheeks that even unlicensed demons or goddesses had.

As Marla looked closer she could sense a shimmering, like a heat haze, cross her eyes...

"You havin' fun there" said Loki, one eye looking straight at her.

Marla jumped back, shocked " ah...well...that is..."

Loki grunted and, turning away from Marla, swung his legs out to the floor, revealing to Marla that, except for a pair of boxers, he was completely naked.

That wasn't the only thing that was revealed to Marla.

On Loki's back was a complicated Celtic knot work pattern that spanned the entirety of his back and front and, if she looked at too long, almost gave her eyestrain looking at.

Marla couldn't contain her curiosity "so, what's with the tattoo?"

Loki, who at this point had gotten off the sofa, stopped, and without looking at her picked up a shirt that was draped on the sofa back and quickly donned it, hiding the patterns.

"None of your damn business" said Loki, his voice suddenly edgy. He turned and walked towards a door marked 'BATHROOM', still not looking at Marla.

"Hey i was just..." started Marla, throwing her hands up defensively.

"There's food in the fridge" Loki interrupted, just before he slammed the bathroom door shut.

Marla stood still, the room now silent, her body feeling chilled from Loki's reaction.

"I was only asking" Marla mumbled to herself "didn't need to go off the handle about..."

Suddenly Marla's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't had anything to eat for ages. Her eyes quickly found the fridge and in no time she was inside, rifling for her alternate power source.

Suddenly Marla stopped, her prey in sight. Marla licked her lips and, with unearthly speed, pounced.

Loki barely noticed the warm water of the shower as it flowed over him.

_Almighty damn it _he thought to himself _why the hells am i doing this._

_And what the hells was i thinking letting her stay here. _

_Oh yeah that's right - i wasn't.._

Loki turned the shower off, feeling the last of the water run off him, pulled back the shower curtain and grabbed a towel to dry him off. He noticed the mirror that was above the sink and , after a moments thought, checked his back, his eyes tracing the patterns on his back.

Through the steam covered mirror Loki's thoughts drifted to another time...

_Loki was running through the corridor, which was empty but for the lights on either side. _

_As he ran he willed the sprig of mistletoe in his hand to grow. The plant obeying him grew and twisted, until a sharp spear now remained in his hands._

_He turned and ran up a flight of stairs, the sounds of jubilation now audible at the top._

_He didn't care, he had only one goal._

_In no time he reached the top and, running towards the front of the balcony he was on, saw his target._

_Loki screamed, his voice silencing the room, "**BALDUR!"**_

THUMP "LOKI!"

_On the stage below a figure looked up, its eyes wide with shock._

_Loki placed one foot on the balcony and, with one almighty roar threw the spear._

THUMP "OI LOKI, COME ON I'M GASPING!"

The door opened and Loki, dressed in nothing but a towel, came out, only to have Marla barge past him, grumbling something or other, and slam the door shut after him.

Loki shook his head - and then stopped.

A second later and it was Loki's turn to bang on the door." MARLA YOU BUGGER!" he roared.

"What?" said a muffled voice from behind the door.

"NEVER MIND 'WHAT' DID YOU SCOFF THE LAST OF MY BACON?"

"I was hungry"

"Yeah" said Loki his, voice coming down a decibel, "but most people COOK IT first"

There was a flush of the toilet, and Marla came out of the bathroom "look it's my alternate power source, i need to eat raw or rare cooked meat okay - it's my thing."

Loki pointed towards the pile of plastic that had once been containers of bacon "you could have at least cleaned up first"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get onto it" Marla grumbled as she proceeded towards the kitchen.

Loki grumbled to himself and went into the bedroom. After drying himself off he looked through the wardrobe, as he did he was reminded yet again of one the disadvantages of having his powers curtailed - not being able to conjure up a new set of clothes.

But fortunately he had an ace in the hole.

He found a set of black denim jeans and, after a quick rummage through his laundry basket, a white shirt.

Loki sniffed the shirt experimentally, _yeah that'll do_ he thought to himself, as he grabbed a pair of black shoes and left the bedroom.

When he re-entered he saw Marla putting the last of the bacon wrappers into the bin. "Satisfied?" she said sarcastically as she washed her hands in the kitchen sink.

Loki shook his head and walked over towards the laptop, pulling over a camping stool towards it. A few seconds later Marla joined him, leaning over him to see what he was doing.

"So, what yer doing?" asked Marla.

"Huh?" Loki asked, looking back towards Marla, "I'm just checking the pictures i took last night".

Marla shivered as she recalled holding Astartes' eye open. "So what yer got?"

"I don't know - i left Merlin on overnight to process the pictures and -"

"Pictures? But…" stammered Marla as she quickly checked her jacket pocket – to find nothing there.

A familiar looking camera appeared in Marla's eye line, held by a grinning Loki. "Looking for this" he said, in imitation of Marla's phrase from the previous night.

"So who's Merlin?" interrupted Marla, steering the topic way

"Oh Yeah" Loki said, pointing towards the laptop "Merlin, Marla. Marla, Merlin. Meet, have sex, shower, chat..."

Maybe it was the way Loki talked to the laptop that freaked Marla out.

Maybe it was the seriousness in his tone of voice.

Or maybe it was because the computer talked back to him.

"If you have QUITE finished", said "Merlin", its voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Ah come on, you know you love me really" said Loki, cheerfully.

"Hmm" said Merlin.

"Anyway, have you finished processing those photos yet?"

"Well" said Merlin, " Considering I lost a few due to SOMEONE not keeping the eyelid out of the lens..." at this Marla turned her back on the computer, grumbling to herself "I've had trouble processing the ones I could salvage"

"wadda you mean, trouble" asked Loki, suspiciously.

"Well, there seems to be some sort of scrambling effect around the face of the attacker, it's as if ..."

"As if someone was deliberately blocking their image"

"Precisely"

Loki grumbled and rubbed his forehead. "How long before you can crack it?"

"Hmm, ill have to run it through my other programs, and then try and hack Ygdrasill and access its systems if i can't do it - which won't be necessary"

"Merlin..." Growled Loki.

"Current Calculations about 3 - maybe four - micro cycles"

Loki grumbled "alright, any luck with Astartes?"

"Your prognosis of her death was surprising accurate, considering..." replied Merlin cockily "the only way she could have died was at the hand of another deity - a mortal couldn't have done this"

"But if that's the case" interrupted Marla "then who or what did this?"

"...I have insufficient information at this time to answer that query"

Marla threw her hands up in frustration "then what the hells use ARE you?"

"I could very well say the same about you Miss Marla" Merlin replied acidly.

"ALRIGHT LADIES!" Loki shouted, quieting both of them "If you've both finished?"

Marla stalked off towards the sofa and, after pulling out a portable TV From her jacket, sat down and watched it, occasionally pulling a sour face towards Loki's computer.

Loki groaned "look Merlin, I don't expect you to like this set-up - almighty knows I'm not too thrilled about it - but it's just until we finish this job. Can you keep your opinions to yourself till then?"

Merlin remained silent for a while "as you command, Loki".

"Loki, you'd better take a look at this" Marla suddenly shouted, her yes still locked on her TV.

"What?"

"Err...channel 4, quick"

"Merlin, TV, channel 4" Loki ordered, and Merlin wordlessly complied, opening a new window.

The window showed a smartly dressed woman, presumably a reporter, standing in front of what at first looked like to Loki to be a burnt out building.

It took less than a second for Loki to recognise the building.

"...Police are still puzzled" the reporter said " as to the official cause of the explosion that occurred at the Birmingham district morgue last night, which claimed the life of security officer Barney Edmund's, but the police are currently looking or the owner of this Morris minor..." at this the screen switched over to a grainy security that showed Loki's car pulling out of the car park.

Loki jumped out of his chair and ran towards the window.

"shitshitshitshit"

As he looked through the blinds he saw his car parked up out front - and a police officer standing suspiciously around it.

"" Loki cursed as he ran back from the window, grabbing his coat." Marla lets go!" Marla jumped off the sofa, but stopped to turn and see Loki go towards Merlin." what you doin'?"

"I'm bringing him with us" replied Loki matter of factly.

"WHAT? Your gonna lug that thing ar-"

"Merlin, disengage cloaking field" he said to the computer. The computer suddenly shimmered, blurred, and finally disappeared, leaving an ornate gold bracer, with silver wings for sides and a red glowing gem set near where the wrist would sit..

Loki grabbed the bracer and, after pulling the wings apart, slid his left hand inside. "Let's go".

"You are just so full of surprises" joked Marla as he turned to open the door.

Loki grabbed her hand. "woah" and looked towards the red gem. Suddenly a flat screen projection appeared in midair in front of Loki and Marla "Merlin, show us the cameras"

The screens image suddenly changed to a corridor, set with a series of identical doors. Armoured policemen, with two others on the opposite side, were standing next to a door.

The door to his room.

"Oh - key" Loki said, slightly panicked, "we could have -"

The last thing he recalled was a flare of light, a hand grabbing him by the shoulder, and the world collapsing into white.

TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
